Shoe conforming and wiper heating apparatus



1963 H. L. DENT ETAL 3,070,819

SHOE CONFORMING AND WIPER HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 50, 1961 SSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS HOP/y L. Dem y Dav/'0 M Thompson W/HM Arrr Jan.1, 1963 H. DENT ETAL SHOE CONFORMING AND WIPER HEATING APPARATUS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1961 Jan. 1, 1963 DENT ETAL 3,070,819

SHOE CONFORMING AND WIPER HEATING APPARATUS Filed June 30, 1961 R 3Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent Cfifice 8,870,819 Patented Jan. 1,1963 3,070,819 SHUE CONFORMTNG AND WIPER HEATWG APPARATUS Harry 1.. Dentand David M. Thompson, Nashville, Tenn, assignors to Jacob S. Kamborian,West Newton, Mass. Filed June 30, 1961, Ser. No. 121,202 12 Claims. (Cl.1212.4)

This invention relates to an apparatus for snugly conforming the upperof a shoe mounted on a last to the shape of the last prior to wiping thelasting margin of the upper against the shoe insole supported on thebottom of the last and to heating the wiping instrumentalities.

In copending application Serial No. 50,177 filed August 17, 1960, thereis disclosed a pair of wipers mounted on wiper cams and a shoeconforming apparatus comprising a generally U-shaped yoke located belowthe wipers and wiper cams. A head is slidably mounted below the wipersand is yieldably urged forwardly by a spring. The bight of the yoke isengaged by the head and a pair of support arms extending alongside ofand exteriorly of the yoke legs are pivotally connected at their rearends to the head on opposite sides of the bight. The support arms areconnected intermediate their ends to the yoke legs and the forward endsof the support arms are pivotally connected to rods, the rods in turnbeing pivotally mounted on the machine frame. Spring means areinterposed between the frame and the forward ends of the support arms toyieldably urge the yoke legs inwardly of the yoke. In the abovedescribed device, downward movement of a shoe upper and insole, mountedon a last, through the yoke causes the yoke to be resiliently pressedagainst the last and causes the upper to snugly conform to the shape ofthe last.

An object of this invention is to provide, in a shoe conformingapparatus similar to the one described above, means for heating thewipers so that the heated wipers will iron the lasting margin of theupper as they press it down against the insole and press out anyirregularities or pleats in the lasting margin. This object is carriedout by providing a plate in the head below the wiper cams on the planeof symmetry of the wipers. The plate is urged by springs upwardlyagainst the cams and has electric heating cartridges therein. The plateserves to heat both of the wiper cams and the wiper cams heat the wipersby conduction.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a toe lasting machine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the front of the machine with the cover removedshowing the wipers, the wiper driving and FIG. 7 is a vertical sectionshowing the relationship of the last, upper, insole, yoke legs andwipers.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the machine includes a pair of wiping units,each comprising a wiper 10 mounted in a wiper cam 12. The wiping unitsare symmetrically disposed about the longitudinal center line of themachine at its forward end and are pivotally connected by links 14 to aslide 16 slidably mounted for horizontal forward and rearward movementin the frame 18 of the machine. The wiper cams are slidable over a wipersupport 20 fixed to the frame 18 and have cam slots 22 and 24 that areFIG. 6 is a section taken along the line- 66 of FIG. 5;

engageable with rolls 26 upstanding from the wiper support 20 wherebyforward movement of the slide 16 causes a forward and inward movement ofthe wiping units in the manner disclosed in Patent No. 2,668,967. Theslide =16 is connected through linkage 38 to the piston rod 40* of afluid actuated motor 42. A shoe support, made substantially inaccordance with the shoe support disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No.2,668,967, comprising a toe rest 28 and a heel pin 30 mounted on acarriage 32, is located at the forward end of the frame 18 and isslidably guided on the frame for vertical movement. The carriage 32 isconnected to the piston rod 34 of a fluid actuated motor 36.

A control mechanism similar to that disclosed is Patent No. 2,888,693 isprovided to operate the motors 36 and 42 to thereby control the verticalmovement of the shoe support and the horizontal movement of the wipingunits. The control mechanism includes a control handle 44-, which whenrotated about its horizontal axis, controls the motor 36 to raise andlower the shoe support, and, when swung in a horizontal plane, controlsthe motor 42 to move the wiping units forwardly and rearwardly.Reference is made to the aforesaid Patent No. 2,888,693 for a moredetailed disclosure of the control mechanism.

The machine includes a flexible shoe conformer similar to that disclosedin the aforementioned copending application Serial No. 50,177 filedAugust 17, 1960. The conformer comprises a generally U-shaped yoke 46,made of a low coefficient of friction material such as Teflon, having abight 48 positioned in the forward end of the frame and a pair of legs50 extending forwardly of the bight on opposite sides of the bight.

A head 52 is slidably mounted for horizontal movement in gibs 53 formingpart of a guideway 54 formed in the wiper support 28. The head 52 has apair of ledges 56 at its forward end forming a recess 58 therebetweenadapted to receive the yoke bight 48 (see FIG. 5). A bracket 60,positioned rearwardly of the head 52, is screwed to the gibs 53 byscrews 62 and has a portion extending downwardly into the guideway 54. Astud 62 is threaded into the bracket 60. The stud extends rearwardly andterminates short of the frame 18. An opening 64 (FIG. 1) is provided inthe frame in alignment with the stud through which :a tool may beinserted to rotate the stud and adjust its position in the bracket 60. Asocket 66 is provided in the head 52 and a compression spring 68 extendsfrom the socket 66 to a reduced portion 70 on the stud 62. The spring 68serves to yieldably urge the head 52 forwardly along the guideway 54. Ascrew 72 threaded into a portion of the frame 18 is in abutting relationto the head 52 and thereby limits the extent the head may be moved alongthe guideway under the resilient force of the spring Supports 74 arerigidly secured to the opposite sides of the frame 18 at the forward endthereof and extend forwardly of the frame. An internally threaded sleeve'76 is pivotally connected to each support 74 for swinging movementabout the vertically extending axis of a bearing 78. The bearings 78extend upwardly from the sleeves 76 through the supports '74 and areconnected to the supports by nuts 80 threaded onto the upper ends of thebearings 78.

A threaded shaft or screw 82 is threaded into each sleeve 76 and a knob84 is rigidly connected to each screw 82. Each screw is hollow andslidably receives a rod 86 extending longitudinally therethrough.Adjusting nuts 88 are threaded to the outer ends of the rods 86 and bearagainst bearings 90 rotatably mounted on the rods 86. The bearings 90 inturn bear against the knobs 84. The inner end of each rod 86 is formedinto a head 92 that extends between the jaws of a clevis 94. Each clevis94 mit relative swinging movement of the rods 86 and the support arms 96about the vertical axes of the pins 98. A compression spring 99 ismounted on each rod 86 and extends from each screw 82 to each head 92.The ends of the support arms 96 remote from the clevises 94 arepivotally connected to the ledges 56 of the head 52 by pins 100 so as topermit relative swinging movement between the support arms 96 and thehead 52 about the vertical axes of the pins 100.

The bight 43 of the yoke is normally positioned in abutting relation tothe base of the recess 58. Each yoke leg 50 is connected to itscontiguous support arm 96 by flanges 102 connected to and extendinginwardly from the yoke legs and received in elongated slots 104 providedin the yoke legs.

The machine, as described up to this point, substantially conforms tothe disclosure of the aforesaid application Serial No. 50,177 filedAugust 17, 1960. It is desirable in such a machine to provide means toheat the wiping units. so that they will, in the lasting operation, ironthe lasted upper material flat upon the insole and press down anycreases or wrinkles that are created during lasting. The instantinvention is concerned with a wiping unit heating device that may bemounted in the above described machine.

The heating unit comprises a plate 106, preferably made of a heatconductive material such as iron, located in a depression 108 in theupper surface of the head 52 rearwardly of the recess 58. The plate isconnected to the head by a screw 110 extending through a bore 112 in theplate and threaded into the head. The screw has an enlargement 114 atits upper end that is located above a shelf 116 formed at theintersection of the bore 112 and a larger diameter counterbore 118extending downwardly from the upper surface of the plate 106. A pair ofcompression springs 120, interposed between the head 52 and the plate106, yieldably urge the plate upwardly to the extent permitted by theenlargement 114. The upper surface 122 of the plate has bevels 124 and126 at its forward and rearward ends. The plate is heated by a pair ofelectric heating cartridges 128 located in holes in the plate. Thecartridges are connected to a source of power, not shown, by wires 130.

The heated plate 106 is normally positioned beneath the wiper earns 12with the springs 120 yieldably urging the plate against the camundersurfaces to provide good heat conduction between the plate and thecams. The wipers 10, in turn, are heated by conduction from the wipercams.

in operating the machine, the shoe conformer is adjusted to conform tothe shape of the shoe that it is desired to last in the manner describedin the aforesaid pending application Serial No. 50,177 filed August 17,1960. The shoe support is initially located in an upper position and alast 132 (see FIG. 7) having a shoe upper 134 and an insole 136 mountedthereon is placed bottom-up on the shoe support with the toe of the lastfacing the bight of the yoke 46 and the shoulder 140 of the lastoverlapping the yoke. The motor 36 is then actuated to lower the shoe toa position where the upwardly facing surface of the insole 136 issubstantially level with the undersurfaces of the wipers as indicated inFIG. 7. During this downward movement the yoke 46 yieldably engages theupper under the forces exerted by the springs 68 and 99 and snuglyengages the upper. The yoke material is compressed during this downwardmovement and the head 52 and the support arms 96 may move outwardly ofthe yoke with swinging movement of the shoe conformer parts taking placeabout the axes of the bearings 78 and the pins 98 and 100 to enable theyoke to snugly engage the upper and cause the upper to conform to theshape of the last and the lasting margin 138 of the upper to extendupwardly of the insole 136.

After the shoe and last have completed their downward movement, adhesivemay be applied in the angle formed between the upstanding lasting margin138 and the insole 136 which will adhesively bond the lasting margin tothe insole during the subsequent wiping operation. Alternately,precemented uppers may be used wherein the lasting margin has adhesiveapplied thereto prior to the insertion of the shoe in the machine, whichadhesive is activated to bond the lasting margin to the insole under thepressure exerted by the wiper during their Wiping action. If desired,instead of adhesively bonding the lasting margin to the insole, afterthe lasting margin has been wiped down upon the insole it may be securedthereto by tacks, staples or other similar fastening means.

When the shoe and last have completed their downward movement, the shoeupper is yieldably clamped between the last and yoke as indicated inFIG. 7. The motor 42 is now actuated to move the wiping units forwardlyand inwardly to cause the wipers 10 to wipe or fold the lasting margindown upon the insole. During the wiper movement, the motor 36 isactuated to provide an upward force of the shoe against the wipers tocreate an overlasting pressure against the wiper bottoms, and, at thecompletion of the wiping operation, this force may be increased tocreate a bedding pressure. At the completion of the wiping operation,the shoe support is lowered, the wipers are retracted to their initialposition and the shoe support is then raised to its initial position.

The wiper cams 12 in their retracted position overlie the heated plate106 as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that heat is supplied by conductionfrom the plate 106 to the wipers 10 by means of the wiper cams. Theheated plate 106 is at all times located rearwardly of the leading edges14?. of the wipers 10 with the screw 72 determining the forwardmostposition of the plate. The yieldable upward force of the springs enablesthe plate 106 to bear against the wiper cams 12 during the movement ofthe wiper cams regardless of any irregularities in the surfaces of theplate and earns. Should the wiper cams in their forward movement moveforwardly of the plate 106, the bevel 124 permits the cams to readilymove back over the plate during their rearward movement. The bevel 126permits the slide 16 to readily ride over the plate 106 during theforward stroke of the wipers should the slide move forwardly far enoughto contact the plate. With this arrangement of the heated plate locatedbeneath the wiper cams along the plane of symmetry of the wipers, thewipers have heat supplied to them substantially continuously. Themounting of the heated plate on the block that engages the bight of theyoke provides for a compact arrangement taking up a small amount ofspace.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purposeof illustration only and that this invention includes all modificationsand equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a lasting machine having a pair of symmetrically disposed wipingunits mounted for forward movement from a retracted position to anadvanced position, each of said units including a wiper having a leadingedge; and means for moving the wiping units forwardly to cause saidleading edges to wipe the lasting margin of a shoe upper upon a shoeinsole; the improvement comprising: heating means disposed along theplane of symmetry of the wiping units in engagement with the wipingunits; means mounting the heating means in a predetermined position thatis rearward of said leading edges in the retracted position of thewiping units; and means locking the heating means against movementforwardly of said predetermined position.

2. In a lasting machine having a pair of symmetrically disposed wipingunits mounted for forward movement from a retracted position to anadvanced position, each of said units including a wiper having a leadingedge; and means for moving the wiping units forwardly in a predeterminedplane to cause said leading edges to wipe the lasting margin of a shoeupper upon a shoe insole; the improvement comprising: a plate locatedbeneath the wiping units along the plane of symmetry of the wiping unitsin engagement with both wiping units; means mounting the plate in apredetermined position that is rearward of said leading edges in theretracted position of the wiping units; means locking the plate againstmovement forwardly of said predetermined position; and means for heatingthe plate.

3. The machine according to claim 2 further comprising: spring meansyieldably urging the plate upwardly into engagement with the wipingunits.

4. In a lasting machine having a shoe support for supporting a lasthaving a shoe upper and insole mounted thereon; a pair of symmetricallydisposed wiping units; means for moving the wiping units forwardly in apredetermined plane to wipe the lasting margin of the shoe upper uponthe shoe insole; a shoe conforming yoke located below the wiping unitsfor conforming the shoe upper to the last during relative heightwisemovement between the yoke and shoe support; a head located beneath thewiping units on the plane of symmetry of the wiping units in engagementwith the yoke to support the yoke; a plate on the head in engagementwith the wiping units; and means for heating the plate.

5. In a lasting machine comprising a frame; a deformable yoke having abight and a leg on each side of the bight extending forwardly of thebight; a head, mounted in the frame, in engagement with the bight;support means mounted on the frame for supporting the legs of the yoke;a pair of wiping units mounted in the frame above the yoke and head; andmeans for moving the wiping units forwardly to wipe the lasting marginof a shoe upper on a shoe insole; the improvement comprising: wiper unitheating means located on the head.

6. The machine according to claim 5 further comprising: spring means foryieldably urging the heating means upwardly into engagement with thewiping units.

7. In a lasting machine comprising a frame; a deformable yoke having abight and a leg on each side of the bight extending forwardly of thebight; a head slidably mounted in the frame; means yieldably urging thehead forwardly; a support arm extending alongside of and exteriorly ofeach yoke leg; means connecting each support arm to a yoke leg; meanspivotally connecting the forward end of each support arm to the framefor swinging movement about an axis transverse to the plane of the yoke;resilient means interposed between the support arms and the frame foryieldably urging the yoke legs inwardly of the yoke; means pivotallyconnecting the rearward ends of the support arms to the head forswinging movement about an axis transverse to the plane of the yoke; 21pair of wiping units mounted in the frame above the yoke and head, eachwiping unit comprising a wiper mounted in a wiper cam; and means formoving the wiping units forwardly to wipe the lasting margin of a shoeupper on a shoe insole; the improvement comprising: a plate supported onthe head below the wiper cams; means for heating the plate; and meansyieldably urging the plate upwardly into engagement with the wiper cams.

8. In a lasting machine comprising a frame; a deformable yoke having abight and a leg on each side of the bight extending forwardly of thebight; a head slidably mounted in the frame having at its forward end arecess and a pair of ledges on opposite sides of the recess, said recessbearing against the bight of said yoke; means yieldably urging the headforwardly; a support arm extending alongside of and exteriorly of eachyoke leg; means connecting each support arm to a yoke leg; meanspivotally connecting the forward end of each support arm to the framefor swinging movement about an axis transverse to the plane of the yoke;resilient means interposed between the support arms and the frame foryieldably urging the yoke legs inwardly of the yoke; means pivotallyconnecting the rearward ends of the support arms to said ledges forswinging movement about an axis transverse to the plane of the yoke; 21pair of wiping units mounted in the frame above the yoke and head, eachwiping unit comprising a wiper mounted in a wiper cam; and means formoving the wiping units forwardly to wipe the lasting margin of a shoeupper on a shoe insole; the improvement comprising: a plate supported onthe head; at least one electric heating cartridge located in the plate;and spring means interposed between the head and plate for yieldablyurging the plate into engagement with the wiper cams.

9. A shoe conformer support and wiper heating device comprising: a head;a recess at the forward end of the head; ledges at the forward end ofthe head on opposite sides of the recess; a depression in the uppersurface of the head located rearwardly of the recess and ledges; a platelocated in the depression; at least one electrical heating cartridge inthe plate; and spring means interposed between the head and plate foryieldably urging the plate upwardly of the head.

10. The invention according to claim 9 further comprising: meanslimiting the extent the plate may move upwardly of the head under theforce applied by the spring means.

11. A shoe conformer support and wiper heating device comprising: ahead; a recess at the forward end of the head; ledges at the forward endof the head on opposite sides of the recess; a depression in the uppersurface of the head located rearwardly of the recess and ledges; a platelocated in the depression; at least one electrical heating cartridge inthe plate; a bore extending upwardly into the plate; a counter bore oflarger diameter than the bore extending downwardly into the plate andintersecting the bore to form a shelf; a fastener extending through thebore and secured to the head, said fastener having an enlarged headoverlying said shelf; and at least one spring interposed between thehead and plate for yieldably urging the plate upwardly of the head.

12. The invention according to claim 11 further comprising: a socket atthe rear of the head below the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,066,423 Schoenky Jan. 5, 1937 2,904,801 Kamborian Sept. 22, 19592,933,742 Kamborian Apr. 26, 1960 2,958,878 Snow Nov. 8, 1960

1. IN A LASTING MACHINE HAVING A PAIR OF SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED WIPINGUNITS MOUNTED FOR FORWARD MOVEMENT FROM A RETRACTED POSITION TO ANADVANCED POSITION, EACH OF SAID UNITS INCLUDING A WIPER HAVING A LEADINGEDGE; AND MEANS FOR MOVING THE WIPING UNITS FORWARDLY TO CAUSE SAIDLEADING EDGES TO WIPE THE LASTING MARGIN OF A SHOE UPPER UPON A SHOEINSOLE; THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: HEATING MEANS DISPOSED ALONG THEPLANE OF SYMMETRY OF THE WIPING UNITS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WIPINGUNITS; MEANS MOUNTING THE HEATING MEANS IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION THATIS REARWARD OF SAID LEADING EDGES IN THE